Harry hickmott



No. 616,326. Patented Dec. 20, I898. 11. HICKMOTT.

SLUIGE BOX AND BRIDGE. 1

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SLUlCE-BOX'AND BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,326, dated December 20, 1898. Application filed January 25,1893- Serial No. 667,914. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:-

Be it known that I, HARRY HIOKMOTT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at WVeald Park, Brentwood, Essex county, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Sluice-Box and Bridge; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to treble sluices combined with a bridge; andit consists, essentially, of a waste-flood and ordinary watersluice arranged in one device at varying elevations leading from a fish-guard and having connected therewith a series of plugs with elongated stems adapted to be operated to open the various sluices and permit the water to fiow thereinto.

The invention further consists of the de tails of the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

One object of the invention is to provide a sluice which is adapted for use in running water off from a lake, pond, or other inclosure at varying levels and which maybe employed for only partially drawing ofi the water or entirely draining the same from an adjacent point.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction and arrangement of such devices and render them more positive in their operation, as well as strong and durable and comparatively inexpensive in the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the improved sluice in position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved sluice. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the center of the device. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several Views, the numeral 1 designates a base, from the corners of which rise standards 2. The base and the lower portions of the standards are surrounded by boxing 3, and also secured to the said standards above the boxing on the sides and inner end are slats 4, which may extend only partially over the length of said standards or be continued entirely to the top of the same for the purpose of forming a fish-guard to prevent the escape of fish or aquatic animals in draining a pond, lake, or basin. On the top of the standards are cross-sills 5 and 6, which extend transversely of the device and are tied on the ends by metallic straps or analogous devices '7. The sill 5 has a pair of slots 8 extending therethrough vertically, and spaced apart a suitable distance and intermediate of the said slots and projecting outwardly therefrom is a metallic guide 9, which is slotted and disposed horizontally, the said guide be= ing connected with its support by an angular bend and elevated above the level of the sill 5. In the sill 6, at the center thereof, is a vertical slot 10, and to one side of the said slot is a counter-slot 11, over which is mounted a winding-shaft 12in bearings 13. One end of the winding-shaft has keyed thereon a ratchetwheel 14, which is engaged by a stop-pawl or analogous device 15, pivotally attached to the adjacent edge of the said sill 6. The opposite end of the said winding-shaft 12 is enlarged and apertured, as at 16, and therein is movably mounted a handle-bar 17.

Resting in a slot in the center of the base 1 is a single sluice-box 20, which is preferably located at about a level of seventeen feet under the surface of the water. The said sluicebox is slightly inclined to give a fall to the water flowing therethrough, and in the rear of the upper portion thereof is a feed-opening 21, adapted to be engaged by a stop-plug 22,

having an elongated stem 23 rising therefromand passing upwardly through the slot 10 in the sill G. Secured to one side of the stem 23 is the lower end of an elevating-chain 24, which has its upper end attached to the winding-shaft 12, and by means of the said chain and shaft the said stem, as well as the plug at the lower end thereof, may be drawn upwardly to open the feed-opening 21 in the said sluice-box 20. As an auxiliary to sustain the shank 23 in elevated position it is provided through the slots 8 in the sill 5.

with openings 25, in which is adapted to be reniovably fitted a locking-pin 26, secured by a chain 27 on an adjacent part of the said sill (i. The reason the winding-shaft and chain are employed in connection with the shank 23 and plug 22 is that in a large structure considerable resistance would be offered from various causes in clearing the said plug from the feed-opening 21 in the said sluice-box 20, and while it might be possible for asingle operator to elevate the said shank and plug under favorable conditions it might require under other conditions a greater expenditure of power than could be applied solely through manual exertions.

Resting on the top of the sluicebox 20 and extending transversely thereof are spaceblocks 28, on which is secured a double sluicebox 29, having a central dividing'partition 30 and two rear feed-openings 31 in the u pperpart thereof. These feed-openings are adapted to be engaged by stop-plugs 32, having shanks rising therefrom and projecting upwardly These latter plugs and shanks may be readily elevated by ordinary manual power, and for the purpose of holding the same elevated and keeping the feed-openings 31 clear the shanks have openings 34- extending therethrough, which are adapted to be engaged by locking-pins 35, loosely attached by chains 36 to the adjacent edge of the sill 5. Either one or both of the plugs 32 and shanks 33 may be elevated; but

' this will. depend altogether upon the conditions, and it may be found necessary under certain circumstances to only clear one of the openings 31. The double sluice-box 29 is to be preferably located about ten feet under the surface of the water.

Resting on a cross-brace 37, attached to the adjacent standards 2 and also on a bridgeblock 38, rising from the topof the front por tionof the sluice-box 29, is a single floodsluice 40 with a rear upper opening 41, adapted to be engaged by a plug 42, having an upwardly-projecting shank 43 extending through the guide 9, and the said shank has a transverse opening 4a therein, adapted to be engaged by one of the pins 35 or an analogous device to hold the plug42 and shank 43 in elevated position. This flood-sluice is intended to be located about three feet under the surface of the water.

Each of the shanks extending upwardly from the plugs has on the upper end thereof a metallic loop 45, which is adapted to be used in elevating the said shanks and the plugs thereon,and in very large structures overhead mechanism can be attached to the said loops, if desired, for the purpose of raising the parts to which they are connected.

On another cross-brace 46, at ahigher elevation than that heretofore described and also on a transverse brace-beam or sill 47, are a pair of independent oppositelydisposed waste-water sluices 48, which have their upper rear portions cutaway to form feed-openin gs 49 and are intended to carry off the surplus water from a lake, pond, basin, or other inclosure at the level thereof, and thereby maintain a desired uniform depth. Extending across the said waste-water sluices and from one to the other is a bridge 50 to permit easy passage from one to the other in the op eration of the several parts, and it will be observed in this connection that the sills 5 and 6 can also be employed for a similar purpose.

In applying the device in operative position it will be arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, with the standards 2 and base 1 inside of the lake, pond, or basin, with which the device is used adjacent to an embankment or outflowpoint formed at one side thereof. All of the sluice-boxes will extend far enough into the basin, pond, or lake to have the openings thereof so arranged as to permit the easy flow of the water therethrough, it being observed that the said sluice-boxes are of different lengths,and, further,that they are all closed at their inner ends. The waste-water sluices, it will be understood, are always operating, and in the event of an overflow through floods or surpluses of water due to other causes the flood-sluice 40 is intended to be opened, and in draining the water-inclosure a still greater depth the double sluice-box 29 is caused to operate. If it is desired to thoroughly drain the lake, the lowermost sluice-box 20 is opened.

While these sluiceboxes have been described as being at specific distances below the surfaces, it will be understood that their depth of position may be varied in accordance with the use thereof,and it will be found that many advantages will become apparent to those using the improved combined sluice and bridge other than those enumerated, and, further, that changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details of the construction might be made and substituted for those shown and described without in the least departing from the nature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of afish-guard,alower sluicebox entering the same, aflood sluice-box, upper waste-water sluices, a bridge extending across the said waste-water sluices, each of these sluices except the waste-water sluices having upper rear feed-openings, and plugs with elongated stems removably engaging the said feed-openings,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a series of superimposed sluice boxes and plugs removably engaging the upper rear portions of the said sluiceboxes, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a series of sluice-boxes of varying lengths, having openings in the up- In testimony whereof I affix my signature per rear portions thereof, plugs removably in presence of two Witnesses. engaging the said openings and having elongated stems projecting above the upper sur- 5 face of the device, and means for holding the Witnesses:

said stems and plugs elevated, substantially FRANCIS P. LANDON, as described. V l ALFRED DoNNIsoN.

HARRY HIOKMOTT. 

